Health chiefs apologise for delay in closing E.coli farm

Seriously ill: two-year-old twins Aaron and Todd Mock are on dialysis after contracting E.coli during a visit to Godstone Farm

A dozen parents of children with E.coli have received a formal apology from government health chiefs for blunders that delayed closing a petting farm.

Justin McCracken, the Health Protection Agency's chief, made phone calls yesterday to those families worst affected by the outbreak at Godstone Farm in Surrey.

A total of 13 children are still being treated in hospital including two-year-old twins Aaron and Todd Mock from Kent. The boys are among four on dialysis at St Thomas' and described as seriously ill by doctors.

Today, Mr McCracken admitted for the first time these tragic cases might have been "avoidable" had public health inspectors closed the farm earlier.

An investigation has now been launched into the mistakes which meant the petting farm was not shut down for a fortnight after doctors confirmed visitors had become infected with the deadly 0157 strain of the bug.

Mr McCracken said: "If this information had been taken into account on 27 August, then the advice given and the steps taken on 3 September would have been introduced earlier and the farm might have been closed earlier.

"I wanted to speak personally to the parents of those children who are most seriously ill in hospital to explain what has happened and, however inadequate under the circumstances, to apologise.

"The position they find themselves in is unbearable and it is of course worse that what has happened might have been avoidable."

Angry parents have already demanded an inquiry into delays which meant the farm was kept open.

Gemma Weaver's son Alfie, aged three, has received two blood transfusions after contracting E.coli.

She said his illness was "every mother's worst nightmare" after the bacterial infection attacked his organs.

Mrs Weaver, 24, from Reigate, said she was not warned of the danger and was "disgusted" that health chiefs had not quarantined the farm as soon as the outbreak was discovered.

She and her husband Chris, 26, a council worker, have stayed by Alfie's bedside in an isolation unit at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

The outbreak is believed to have started on 8 August but it was only confirmed on 27 August. The farm was closed completely last Saturday.

The investigation will be led by Professor George Griffin, an infectious diseases expert at St George's, University of London.